Anisodontea plant named ‘Cefdonpin’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Anisodontea  plant named ‘Cefdonpin’, characterized by its upright and columnar plant habit; strong root system; freely flowering habit; large bright pink-colored flowers; and long flowering period.

Botanical designation: Anisodontea elegans.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Cefdonpin’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Anisodontea, botanically known as Anisodontea elegans, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Cefdonpin’.

The new Anisodontea is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Beacon Bay, South Africa The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely-flowering Anisodontea cultivars with a strong roots and long flowering season.

The new Anisodontea originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Beacon Bay, South Africa in 2001, of two unnamed selections of Anisodontea elegans, not patented. The cultivar Cefdonpin was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Beacon Bay, South Africa in 2002.

Asexual reproduction of the new Anisodontea by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Beacon Bay, South Africa since 2002, has shown that the unique features of this new Anisodontea are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Cefdonpin has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Cefdonpin’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Cefdonpin’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Anisodontea:

-   -   1. Upright and columnar plant habit.     -   2. Strong root system.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Large bright pink-colored flowers.     -   5. Long flowering period.

Plants of the new Anisodontea can be compared to plants of the parent selections. Plants of the new Anisodontea differ from plants of the parent selections:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Anisodontea have a more uniform plant habit         than whereas plants of the parent selections.     -   2. Plants of the new Anisodontea have larger flowers than plants         of the parent selections.     -   3. Plants of the new Anisodontea have brighter pink-colored         flowers than plants of the parent selections.

Plants of the new Anisodontea can be compared to plants of the Anisodontea elegans cultivar Elegant Lady, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,301. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Beacon Bay, South Africa, plants of the new Anisodontea differed from plants of the cultivar Elegant Lady in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Anisodontea had stronger roots than plants         of the cultivar Elegant Lady.     -   2. Plants of the new Anisodontea had a more open plant habit         than plants of the cultivar Elegant Lady.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Anisodontea and the cultivar         Elegant Lady differed in flower color as plants of the cultivar         Elegant Lady had light purple-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Anisodontea, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Anisodontea.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Cefdonpin’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘Cefdonpin’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Bonsall, Calif. in 10-cm containers in polyethylene-covered greenhouses during the summer under conditions which closely approximate commercial production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 32° C., night temperatures averaged 21° C. and light levels averaged 4,5000 foot-candles. Plants were about two months old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Anisodontea elegans cultivar Cefdonpin. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed selection of Anisodontea             elegans, not patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Unnamed selection of Anisodontea             elegans, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 10 days at             temperatures of 24° C. to 26° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 14 days at             temperatures of 18° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to develop roots.—About eight weeks at temperatures.         -   Root description.—Strong, fibrous; white, close to 155D, in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Upright and columnar plant             habit. Vigorous growth habit.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching, usually about three             lateral branches develop after removal of terminal apex.         -   Plant height.—About 30 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 12 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 27 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 2 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 4 cm.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—146A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 3.2 cm.         -   Width.—About 3.3 cm.         -   Shape.—Tri-lobed.         -   Apex.—Rounded.         -   Base.—Acute to obtuse.         -   Margin.—Slightly serrate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Mostly glabrous, minute             pubescence along veins of lower surface.         -   Venation pattern.—Palmate; reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper and lower surfaces: 146A.             Fully developed foliage, upper surface: 146A; venation,             146A. Fully developed foliage, lower surface: 147B;             venation, 147B.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Minute pubescence. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: 146A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement.—Single axillary flowers. Freely             flowering habit with usually about three or four open             flowers per lateral branch. Flowers face mostly outwardly.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously             throughout the summer in South Africa. Flowers last about             four to five days on the plant. Flowers persistent.         -   Flower diameter.—About 3.4 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 2.2 cm.         -   Flower bud.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 9 mm. Shape:             Elliptical. Color: 74C.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Corolla consists of five petals in a             single whorl. Length: About 1.7 cm. Width: At widest point,             about 1.9 cm; at base, about 2.5 mm. Shape: Spatulate. Apex:             Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire; slightly undulate.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous, satiny.             Color: When opening, upper surface: 73C to 73D. When             opening, lower surface: 80C. Fully opened, upper surface:             80C; venation, 74A. Fully opened, lower surface: 80C;             towards the base, 73D.         -   Sepals.—Appearance: Five sepals fused into a star-shaped             calyx. Length: About 6 mm. Width: About 5 mm. Shape:             Elliptical. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Minute pubescence. Color, upper surface:             146B to 146C. Color, lower surface: 146A to 146B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.6 cm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm.             Angle: About 45° from stem axis. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Minute pubescence. Color: 146A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: About 30.             Filament length: About 4 mm. Filament color: Close to 155D.             Anther shape: Rounded. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther             color: 75D. Amount of pollen: Scarce. Pollen color: 160D.             Gynoecium: Pistil length: About 1.3 cm. Style length: About             6 mm. Style color: 155D. Stigma appearance: Pointed. Stigma             color: 74A. Ovary color: 155A.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Anisodontea have been     observed to tolerate temperatures from about 6° C. to about 40° C. -   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Anisodontea have not     been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Anisodontea. 

1. A new and distinct Anisodontea plant named ‘Cefdonpin’ as illustrated and described. 